Magnetic catch



R. K. SWEET MAGNETIC CATCH Nov. 7, 1967 Filed Aug. 5, 1965 iNVENTOR RICHARD wswzrr "Hlll ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,351,368 MAGNETHC CATCH Richard K. Sweet, 1533 William, River Forest, Ill. 60305 Filed Aug. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 477,415 11 Claims. (Ci. 292-2515) ABSTRACT 6F THE DISCLQSURE A magnetic catch assembly comprising a resilient housing formed for snap securement in an apertured metal panel and containing a sandwich-type magnet. Opposing ribs on the housing resiliently engage the magnet and permit flexing of the housing Walls for removal from the panel.

This invention relates to a magnetic catch and more particularly to a magnetic catch adapted to hold a cabinet door closed, or to perform a similar function. The invention was evolved with the general object of providing a catch which is simple and economical in construction,

readily installed and removed and quiet, reliable and trouble-free in operation.

According to an important feature of the invention,

a magnetic catch is provided comprising a magnet assembly in a housing of plastic material adapted for insertion in a slot of a cabinet wall, the housing having flanges on forward edges of said walls thereof for engagement with forward surfaces of the cabinet wall and having a pair of tabs on each side wall spaced rearwardly from the flange thereon for engagement with the rearward surface of the cabinet wall, with the plastic material being of sufficient resiliency to permit installation and removal of the housing from the cabinet wall.

According to another important feature of the inven- 'tion, ribs are provided on inner surfaces of housing side 'walls for pressure engagement with pole pieces in the form of parallel flat plates between which a magnet is sandwiched, the ribs serving to frictionally hold the magnet assembly in a fixed position in the housing. This arrangement allows a certain freedom of movement of the magnet assembly to obtain optimum contact with a striker plate or the like, but does not have the looseness associated with prior constructions and is at the same time simple and economical in construction. Preferably, the ribs are of plastic material integral with the side walls of the housing.

A further important feature of the invention is in the location of the tabs at forward corner portions of the housing side walls with means being provided for limiting movement of central portions of the side walls toward each other, the above-mentioned ribs being preferably operative for performing this function. With this arrangement, the forward corner portions of the side walls can be readily moved inwardly, about a central fulcrum, to facilitate removal of the housing from a cabinet wall.

Preferably, and in accordance with a specific feature, the ends of the flanges are spaced inwardly from the ends of the side walls and the tabs are located beyond the of to receive the pole piece projections. This arrangeice ment greatly facilitates molding of the housing and also facilitates removal of the magnet assembly therein. In one preferred embodiment, the pole piece projection is located approximately midway between the ends thereof and similarly, a slot in each side wall is located midway between the ends thereof. In another embodiment, a pair of outward projections are formed on the rearward end corners of each pole piece and slots are located on the rearward end corners of each of the housing side walls. This embodiment has the advantage that the projections may be readily formed by turning out portions of the pole pieces at the rearward corners thereof.

Further features of the invention relate to the provision of integral reinforcing means operative on the side walls to provide increased tension for holding the housing in the cabinet wall.

Still another feature of the invention relates to the spacing of end edges of the pole pieces a substantial distance inwardly from end edges of the side walls of the housing, to minimize passage of magnetic flux from one pole piece to the other through sheet steel of the cabinet wall.

This invention contemplates other and more specific objects, features and advantages which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a magnetic catch according to the invention, mounted in a cabinet wall;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially along line II--II of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially along line III-III of FIGURE 1, showing the catch in side elevation;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of housing catch constructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line V-V of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing in side elevation a modified form of catch according to the invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line VII-VII of FIGURE 6, showing a top plan view of the modified form of device.

Reference numeral 10 generally designates a magnetic catch constructed according to the principles of the invention, and mounted in a slot 11 in a cabinet wall 12. The wall 12 may, for example, be fixed and the magnetic catch 10 may be positioned to attract and hold a striker plate on a door, but it will be apparent that the cabinet wall 12 may be movable to position the catch 12 for cooperation with a fixed striker plate or the like.

The catch 10 comprises a magnet assembly 13 including a magnet 14 sandwiched between a pair of pole pieces 15 and 16 in the form of fiat steel plates with inwardly struck projections 15' and 16 on the plates being engaged in an opening 14 of the magnet. The magnet 14 may preferably be a composition rubber magnet, but may be of another type such as a ferrite magnet, and it is magnetized in a direction transverse to the faces thereof engaged with the pole pieces 15 and 16, such that one of the pole pieces constitutes a north pole of the assembly and the other constitutes a south pole thereof.

The magnet assembly 13 is disposed within a housing 18 which is preferably of a molded plastic material, such as a molded nylon material. The housing 18 includes a pair of spaced parallel side walls 19 and 20 facing the outer surfaces of the pole pieces 15 and 16, and a rear wall 21 integrally joined to the rearward edges of the side walls 19 3 and 20, to hold the side Walls 19 and 20 in spaced parallel relation.

T hold the housing 18 in the slot 11 in the cabinet wall 12, a pair of outwardly projecting flanges 23 and 24 are provided along the forward edges of the side walls 19 and 20 for engagement with front surface portions of the cabinet wall 12 adjacent the slot 11 therein, and a pair of outwardly projecting tabs 25 and 26 are provided on the wall 19 with similar tabs 27 and 28 on the wall 20, the tabs 25-28 being spaced rearwardly from the flanges 23 and 24 for engagement with rearward surface portions of the cabinet walls 12 adjacent the slot 11.

In accordance with this invention, the plastic material of the housing 18 is of suflicient resiliency to permit inward movement of the forward portions of the walls 19 and 20 for insertion and removal of the housing from the cabinet wall. To further facilitate insertion of the housing in the cabinet wall, the tabs 25-28 preferably have inclined faces for camming engagement with the edges of the slot 11 to move the tabs inwardly as the housing is inserted into the slot 11, until the forward faces of the tabs are behind the rearward surface of the wall 12, whereupon the tabs are moved outwardly by resilient flexure of the walls 19 and 20 back toward their initial conditions.

To facilitate removal of the housing 18 from the wall 12, the flanges 23 and 2.4 have opposite ends spaced from the ends of the side walls 19 and 20, and the forward ends of the tabs 25-28 are spaced rearwardly from the forward edges of the walls 19 and 20 a distance greater than the thickness of the cabinet wall 12, so that forward corner portions of the side walls are accessible for engagement to move the corner portions inwardly and to thereby move the tabs inwardly to clear the slot 11. Preferably, the tabs 25-28 are located beyond the ends of the flanges 23 and 24, as illustrated.

In accordance with a very important feature of the invention, a pair of integral ribs 29 and 30 are provided on the inner surfaces of the side walls 19 and 20, approximately midway between the opposite ends thereof, and preferably toward the forward ends of the side walls. The ribs 29 and 30 perform a number of important functions. In particular, the ribs 29 and 30 are in pressure engagement with the pole pieces and 16, and serve to keep the pole pieces perpendicular to the strike plate. Also, a frictional engagement is provided such that the magnet assembly 13 may adjust its position with respect to a strike plate, but once positioned, the frictional engagement prevents movement of the magnet assembly after separation of the strike plate. The ribs 29 and 30 also maintain a constant pressure on the pole pieces 15 and 16 to prevent the assembly 13 from flopping within the housing 18, and thus noise is minimized. The ribs 29 and 30 additionally serve to limit inward movement of the walls 19 and to insure that the housing 18 will be retained in the cabinet wall 12 until removal is desired.

Still another advantage of the ribs 29 and 30 is that they serves as fulcrum points to allow the forward corners of the walls 19 and 20 to be moved inwardly when removal of the housing from the cabinet wall is desired.

To prevent removal of the magnet assembly 13 from the housing 18 while permitting a certain degree of freedom of movement thereof to conform to a strike plate, the pole pieces 15 and 16 are provided with struck-out outward projections 31 and 32 which are engaged in slots 33 and 34 in the housing walls 19 and 20. In accordance with a specific feature, the slots 33 and 34 extends forwardly from the rearward edges of the side walls 19 and 2.0 to facilitate molding of the housing. Thus, the housing may be molded between two cooperating die parts, one having surfaces for formation of the outer surfaces of the walls 19 and 20, the outer surfaces of the tabs -28, rearward surfaces of the flanges 23 and 24, the rearward surface of the rear wall 21 and the notches 33 and 34, while the other die part may have surfaces for forming the front surface of the rear wall 21, the inner surfaces of the side walls 19 and 20 with the ribs 29 and 30 thereon, the forward edges of the flanges 23 and 2.4 and the forward edges of the tabs 25-28. The slots 33 and 34 also facilitate insertion of the magnet assembly in the housing, during the initial assembly of the catch.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified housing 18a which includes side walls 19a and 20a connected by a rear wall 21a, with the construction being the same as that of the housing 13, except in the provision of reinforcing means operative on the side Walls 19a and 20a adjacent the rear wall 21a, to provide increased tension for holding the housing in the cabinet wall. In particular, a pair of ribs 37 and 38 are provided integrally joined to rearward portions of the side walls 19a and 20a and also integrally joined on the front surface of the rear wall 21a, for providing additional rigidity and strength and additional tension holding the housing in the cabinet wall, without requiring any increase in the thicknesses of the walls. An additional pair of integral ribs 39 and 40 may be provided at the ends of the rear wall 38, integrally joined to the side walls 19 and 20 and forming partial end walls for the housing. Further, as shown in the sectional view of FIGURE 5, additional material may be provided forming grounded inside corners 41 and 42 at the junctions of the side walls 19a and 20a with the rear wall 21a, to provide additional strength and rigidity. It will be appreciated that, depending upon the type of plastic and the thicknesses of the walls, the reinforcing means may be eliminated entirely, as in the embodiment of FIG- URES 1-3, the ribs 37 and 38, the ribs 39 and 40, and the rounded corners 41 and 42 may be used by themselves, or in combination as desired.

FIGURES 6 and 7 show a modified catch 10b, including a modified magnet assembly 13b and a modified housing 18b. The magnet assembly 13b is the same as the magnet assembly 13 of the catch 10, except that modified pole pieces 15b and 16b are provided having outturned projections 43 on the rearward end corners thereof, disposed in slots 44 which are provided in rearward end corners of side walls 1% and 20b of the housing 18b. The projections 43 and the slots 44 cooperate to prevent movement of the magnet assembly 13b out of the housing 18b, and thus it is not necessary to use the central projections 31 and slots 33 of the construction shown in FIGURES 1'-3. It will be noted that the slots 44 extend forwardly from the rearward edges of the side walls 19b and 20b, and thereby facilitate molding of the housing and insertion of the magnet assembly therein.

It is further noted that in all the constructions, the forward edges of the pole pieces project forwardly beyond the forward edges of the side walls, while the end edges of the pole pieces are spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the end edge of the side walls to minimize passage of magnetic flux from one pole piece to the other when the cabinet wall 12 is of steel, as is usually the case.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a magnetic catch, a magnet assembly comprising a pair of pole pieces in the form of parallel flat plates, and a magnet sandwiched between said plates, a housing for said magnet assembly comprising a pair of spaced parallel walls having interconnecting means along one edge thereof with inner surfaces, facing the outer surfaces of said pole pieces, and a rib extending from the inner surface of each of said walls spaced from said interconnecting means and opposing each other, said ribs being of resilient plastic material and shaped for pressure engagernent with said pole pieces to frictionally hold said magnet assembly in a fixed position in said housing.

2. In a magnetic catch as defined in claim 1, said housing walls being of a resilient plastic material and said ribs being integral therewith.

3. In a magnetic catch adapted for mounting in a re tangular slot of a cabinet wall or the like, a magnet assembly, a housing for said magnet assembly adapted to be inserted in said slot and comprising a pair of spaced parallel side wall having aligned forward, rearward and end edges, means connecting said rearward edges for holding said walls in generally parallel relation, an outwardly projecting flange along the forward edge of each of said side walls for engagement with a front surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, a pair of outwardly projecting tabs on forward corner portions of each of said walls spaced rearwardly from said flange for engagement with a rearward surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, and abutment means projecting between each side wall and the opposite sides of said magnet assembly and limiting movement of central portions of said walls toward each other, said housing being of a plastic material of sufficient resiliency to permit inward movement of said forward corner portions of said side walls for insertion and removal of said housing from the cabinet wall.

4. In a magnetic catch as defined in claim 3, said flanges having ends spaced from the ends of said side walls, and said tabs being located beyond the ends of said flanges, with said forward corner portions of said side walls being accessible for facilitating removal of said housing from the cabinet wall.

5. In a magnetic catch as defined in claim 3, said means limiting movement of central portions of said walls toward each other comprising ribs on inner surfaces of said walls engageable with said magnet assembly.

6. In a magnetic catch adapted for mounting in a rectangular slot of a cabinet wall or the like, a magnet assembly comprising a pair of pole pieces in the form of parallet flat plates and a magnet sandwiched between said plates, a molded plastic housing for said magnet assembly comprising a pair of spaced parallel side walls having aligned forward, rearward and end edges and an integral rear wall connecting rearward edges of said side walls, an outwardly projecting flange along the forward edge of each of said side walls for engagement with a front surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, a pair of outwardly projecting tabs on each of said side walls spaced rearwardly from said flange for engagement with a rearward surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, and an outward projection on each of said pole pieces, each of said side walls having a slot therein receiving said outward projection and extending forwardly from the rearward edge thereof to facilitate molding of said housing and insertion of said magnet assembly therein.

7. In a magnetic catch adapted for mounting in a rectangular slot of a cabinet wall or the like, a magnet assembly comprising a pair of pole pieces in the form of parallel fiat plates and a magnet sandwiched between said plates, a molded plastic housing for said magnet assembly comprising a pair of spaced parallel side walls having aligned forward, rearward and end edges and an integral rear wall connecting rearward edges of said side walls, an outwardly projecting flange along the forward edge of each of said side walls for engagement with a front surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, a pair of outwardly projecting tabs on each of said side walls spaced rearwardly from said flange for engagement with a rearward surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, and an outward projection on each of said pole pieces located approximately midway be tween the ends thereof, each of said side wall having a slot therein located approximately midway between the ends thereof for receiving said projection and extending forwardly from said rearward edge thereof to facilitate molding of said housing and insertion of said magnet assembly therein.

8. In a magnetic catch adapted for mounting in a rectangular slot of a cabinet wall or the like, a magnet assembly comprising a pair of pole pieces in the form of parallel flat plates and a magnet sandwiched between said plates, a molded plastic housing for said magnet assem bly comprising a pair of spaced parallel side walls having aligned forward, rearward and end edges and an integral rear wall connecting rearward edges of said side Walls, an outwardly projecting flange along the forward edge of each of said side walls for engagement with a front surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, a pair of outwardly projecting tabs on each of said side walls spaced rearwardly from said flange for engagement with a rearward surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, and a pair of outward projections on rearward end corners of each of said pole pieces, each of said side walls having a pair of slots in rearward end corners thereof for receiving said projections with said slots extending forwardly from the said rearward edges of said side walls to facilitate molding of said housing and insertion of said magnet assembly therein.

9. In a magnetic catch adapted for mounting in a rectangular slot of a sheet steel cabinet wall or the like, a magnet assembly comprising a pair of pole pieces in the form of parallel flat plates and a magnet sandwiched between said plates, a housing for said magnet assembly comprising a pair of spaced parallel side walls having aligned forward, rearward and end edges and an integral rear wall connecting said rearward edges of said side walls, an outwardly projecting flange along the forward edge of each of said side walls for engagement with a front surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, and a resilient rib, spaced from said rear wall and engaging one of said flat plates, extending from each of said side walls in opposing relationship, a pair of outwardly projecting tabs on each of said side walls spaced rearwardly from said flange for engagement with a rearward surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, said pole pieces having forward edges projecting forwardly beyond said forward edges of said side walls and having end edges respectively spaced inwardly a substantial distance from said end edges of said side walls to minimize passage of magnetic flux from one pole piece to the other through the sheet steel cabinet wall.

It). In a magnetic catch adapted for mounting in a rectangular slot of a cabinet wall or the like, a magnet assembly, a molded plastic housing for said magnet assembly comprising a pair of spaced parallel side walls having aligned forward, rearward and end edges and an integral rear wall connecting said rearward edges of said side walls, an outwardly projecting flange along the forward edge of each of said side walls for engagement with a front surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, a pair of outwardly projecting tabs on each of said side walls spaced rearwardly from said flange for engagement with a rearward surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, a resilient rib, spaced from said rear wall and engaging said magnet assembly, extending from each of said side walls in opposing relationship, and integral reinforcing means operative on said side walls adjacent said rear wall to provide increased tension for bolding said housing in the cabinet wall, said integral reinforcing means comprising mean defining rounded inside corners at the junctions of said side walls with said rear wall.

11. In a magnetic catch adapted for mounting in a rectangular slot of a cabinet wall or the like, a magnet assembly, a molded plastic housing for said magnet assembly comprising a pair of spaced parallel side walls having aligned forward, rearward and end edges and an integral rear wall connecting said rearward edges of said side walls, an outwardly projecting flange along the forward edge of each of said side walls for engagement with a front surface portion of the cabinet wall adjacent the slot therein, a pair of outwardly projecting tabs on each of said side walls spaced rearwardly from said flange for engagement with a rearward surface portion of the cabinet Wall adjacent the slot therein, a resilient rib, spaced from 2,896,991 7/1959 Martin 292 251.5 said rear Wall and engaging said magnet assembly, ex- 2,935,352 5/1960 Heppner 292-251.5 tending from each of said side Walls in opposing relation- 2,935,353 5/ 1960 Loeb 292-25 1.5 ship, and integral reinforcing means operative on side 2,936,437 5/1960 Fraser et a1 33917 Walls adjacent said rear Wall Wall to provide increased 5 3,151,902 10/1964 Ahlgren 292-2515 tension for holding said housing in the cabinet wall, said 3,273,104 9/1966 Krol 339128 integral reinforcing means comprising at least one rib on the forward surface of said rear wall connected to said FOREIGN PATENTS Side walls- 1972 4 1959 Itl References Cited 10 59 a UNITED STATES PATENTS MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. 2,853,331 9/1958 Teetor 292251.5 RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner.

2,888,291 5/1959 Scott et a1. 292251.5 

1. IN A MAGNETIC CATCH, A MAGNET ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF POLE PIECES IN THE FORM OF PARALLEL FLAT PLATES, AND A MAGNET SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID PALTES, A HOUSING FOR SAID MAGNET ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL WALLS HAVING INTERCONNECTIN MEANS ALONG ONE EDGE THEREOF WITH INNER SURFACES, FACING THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID POLE PIECES, AND A RIB EXTENDING FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID WALLS SPACED FROM SAID INTERCONNECTING MEANS AND OPPOSING EACH OTHER, SAID RIBS BEING OF RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL AND SHAPED FOR PRESSURE ENGAGEMENT WITH SIDE POLE PIECES TO FRICTIONALLY HOLD SAID MAGNET ASSEMBLY IN A FIXED POSITION IN SAID HOUSING. 